European Commission has recently presented its AI Continent Action Plan. It is a comprehensive strategy outlining key actions to make Europe a leading continent in Artificial Intelligence. APPLiA, representing European home appliance manufacturers, has illustrated its considerations to favor an approach that supports the industry in the implementation of AI, reaching the ambitious objectives that the European Commission has set itself.
Three strategic points
The home appliance industry emphasises the need for practical implementation, clear guidelines, and genuine collaboration to ensure the Action Plan effectively empowers the industry to innovate and compete globally while delivering benefits to European consumers. For this purpose, APPLiA highlights the importance of considering three strategic points. The first is to facilitate the practical integration of AI into production processes and product development. The second point is to establish a harmonised yet practically workable regulatory framework under the AI Act, avoiding the stifling of innovation through overly burdensome or unclear rules. The last aspect is to foster close and continuous collaboration with industry stakeholders during the implementation of the Action Plan.
Artificial intelligence, the game changer
APPLiA states that the European home appliance industry supports the EU’s ambition to lead in AI. “It is a crucial imperative for our sector’s innovation, sustainability, and global competitiveness – APPLiA Director General Paolo Falcioni says –, directly benefiting European consumers through smarter, more efficient homes. The Plan’s focus on harnessing AI for industrial efficiency directly resonates with the home appliance industry’s goals of optimising production processes, enhancing product quality, and developing innovative smart home solutions that enhance the lives of European consumers. For our industry, AI is not a futuristic concept, but a present-day imperative for maintaining the edge in a rapidly evolving global market.
Artificial intelligence could be the game changer in this context, transforming the way in which we interact with our appliances. The Action Plan’s emphasis on boosting AI adoption in strategic EU sectors, including advanced manufacturing – a category in which the home appliance sector is a significant contributor –, is highly relevant here. AI-powered appliances offer a direct pathway to minimising energy consumption, reducing costs, and conserving resources, directly supporting the EU’s sustainability goals and meeting the increasing demand for user- and eco-friendly products from European consumers.
The convergence of technological advancements towards smarter, more sustainable appliances and the everyday needs of European consumers is poised to redefine the future of living in Europe, with the home appliance sector at its forefront. Manufacturers are already innovating with AI-driven features and energy-efficient designs to enhance home comfort, improve quality of life, and empower households to contribute to sustainability through their daily choices. This places our industry as a vital link between technological progress and citizen well-being”.
Ambition and pragmatic approach
Falcioni explains that certain aspects require careful consideration and further clarification to ensure the Action Plan’s full potential. It is necessary to combine ambition and pragmatic implementation. “In this context – he says – regulatory simplification through the AI Act is a critical area. While we support harmonisation, overly burdensome or unclear regulations could inadvertently stifle the very innovation the Action Plan aims to promote. Ultimately, the success of the EU’s AI vision and its benefit to our industry hinges on genuine collaboration. We are committed to working with the Commission and Member States to ensure the Action Plan’s implementation is ambitious and pragmatically addresses our specific needs and challenges”.
